The China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) will soon begin work for the construction of Nasiriyah International Airport, located in Nasiriyah city in the Southern Dhi Qar Governorate, an official daily said on Wednesday. 
The airport would be built on a former military airport site and is expected to be completed within three years after construction work begins, Alsabah newspaper said. 
Dhi Qar’s Governor Mohammed Al-Ghazi discussed the project with CSCEC representatives in Baghdad on Tuesday and said work will start soon to clear the site from possible war mines ahead of infrastructure works. 
“Ghazi agreed with CSCEC to execute the project in defined phases to ensure it will be completed on schedule,” Alsabah said. 
Besides the airport, the project includes the construction of a cargo building and a 25-km motorway linking the airport to key parts of the Governorate, it added. 
Iraqi officials have said in the past that the project could cost around $367 million.
In mid-2021, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi laid the foundation stone for the planned airport, which will handle nearly 750,000 passengers per year. 
Earlier this month, a Zawya Projects report said Nasiriyah Airport would be the first project to be initiated under the China-Iraq oil for projects agreement.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
(anoop.menon@lseg.com)